MLB Power Rankings: Week 25
With the MLB season quickly coming to a close, now is a good time to revisit our power rankings. We have a new number one team. The lowest spots in our rankings are still inhabited by the same three teams. Our power rankings will take not only record into account, but also form, pitching, runs allowed per contest, runs scored per contest and projected rest of season and playoff outlook. Let’s dig in.
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| Team | Previous | Record | Last 10 | |
| 1. Houston Astros | 2 | 98-53 | 7-3 | The Houston Astros remain the favorites to come out of the American League. They have some questionable losses but are built for the playoffs. |
| 2. Los Angeles Dodgers | 1 | 97-54 | 6-4 | The Dodgers are still one of the best two teams in baseball. They will need one of their converted relievers to step up into a middle relief role if they are to hoist the World Series trophy this fall. |
| 3. New York Yankees | 3 | 98-53 | 6-4 | While they have continued to win games, the Yankees starting pitching staff is a cause for concern. They now sit 13th in the league with 4.33 runs allowed per contest. |
| 4. Atlanta Braves | 6 | 93-58 | 6-4 | The Atlanta Braves have powered their way up our rankings by securing the NL East. They are now 9.5 games ahead of the Washington Nationals. |
| 5. Minnesota Twins | 4 | 91-58 | 5-5 | A team that has no problem scoring runs, the Minnesota Twins now hold the single-season team home run record. They are the first team in MLB history with eight players with 20+ home runs. |
| 6. Cleveland Indians | 5 | 87-63 | 6-4 | Cleveland appears to be the most talented of the teams in the AL Wild Card hunt, but they find themselves behind both the Rays and Athletics. The Indians may have to win out to catch up to the Twins in their own division. |
| 7. Tampa Bay Rays | 8 | 89-62 | 7-3 | Determined to make the postseason, the Rays have won 13 of their last 17. They would be higher in our rankings if not for a rough patch in their schedule to close out the season. |
| 8. Oakland Athletics | 9 | 90-60 | 8-2 | Oakland will not stop. They continue to impress and can be counted as the most unexpected of the teams that would make the playoffs if the season ended today. Oakland ranks in the top -10 in both runs scored per game and runs against. |
| 9. Washington Nationals | 7 | 82-66 | 4-6 | While they are very likely to struggle if they make it past the Wild Card round, they appear set to make a postseason appearance. They have the talent to make some noise but will have to be in absolute top form to make it past the NLDS. |
| 10. St. Louis Cardinals | 16 | 83-66 | 5-5 | St. Louis has clawed their way back to the top of the NL Central. They still have a battle on their hands with Milwaukee and Chicago, who are just three and two games back, respectively. |
| 11. Chicago Cubs | 11 | 81-68 | 5-5 | The Chicago Cubs have been solid this season but have lost their grip on the NL Central lead. Now in danger of missing the postseason again, the Cubs do not control their own playoff destinies. |
| 12. Milwaukee Brewers | 10 | 80-69 | 9-1 | The Brew Crew have won nine of their last 10 games but have suffered a major blow to both their postseason chances and their chances if and when they get there. Christian Yelich, who was well on his way to a second straight NL MVP award, was lost for the season. The Brewers can remain competitive, but they no longer have the lineup to potentially win any contest they play in. |
| 13. Boston Red Sox | 12 | 79-70 | 4-6 | Boston continues to disappoint. The defending World Series champs never found a way to truly turn their season around and have all but run out of time. |
| 14. New York Mets | 13 | 77-72 | 6-4 | The Mets’ turnaround since the All-Star Break has truly been a marvel to witness. They appear to have fallen out of the true Wild Card hunt, but they have to count this season as a win. The future is bright for the Mets organization. |
| 15. Philadelphia Phillies | 14 | 76-72 | 4-6 | Philadelphia has had a roller coaster of a season that has seen them lead the NL East at times and at others find themselves out of the playoff picture completely. The Phillies do not appear very likely to taste postseason action this fall. |
| 16. Arizona Diamondbacks | 15 | 76-74 | 3-7 | The Diamondbacks had a much better season than most expected from them. Their recent bad form has knocked them out of playoff contention. They are only two pieces away from regaining their status as contenders. |
| 17. Texas Rangers | 17 | 74-77 | 6-4 | The Rangers have had an up-and-down season. On the one hand, they have scored a top-tier 5.02 runs per game. On the other hand, they are in the bottom-10 in runs allowed per contest. Even Miami has a better team ERA. |
| 18. Cincinnati Reds | 20 | 72-78 | 5-5 | The Reds have flashed at times this season and impressed. They are now sporting one of the best starting pitching top threes in baseball. |
| 19. San Francisco Giants | 18 | 70-80 | 5-5 | Their Cindarella season has come to an end. They were an exciting team to follow when they fount their way into the wild card hunt. The Giants now sit 10 games under .500. |
| 20. Los Angeles Angels | 19 | 68-82 | 3-7 | Los Angeles has some exciting pieces but have yet to put it all together on the field. The Angels will have to improve their pitching staff if they plan to compete. |
| 21. Chicago White Sox | 21 | 65-84 | 4-6 | Chicago is another middle of the road team that seems to have brighter days ahead. The team’s young talent should make them one to watch in 2020. |
| 22. San Diego Padres | 22 | 68-81 | 4-6 | Yet another team with a bright future, the Padres are the door separating the middle of the road, from the bad, to the awful. The Padres have scored just 4.39 runs per game this season. |
| 23. Pittsburgh Pirates | 24 | 65-85 | 4-6 | The Pirates have scored a rock-solid 4.77 runs per contest. Their runs per game profile as a playoff contender. However, they are one of only seven squads relinquishing five or more runs per contest. If the Pirates can make some additions to their pitching staff, they could surprise in 2020. |
| 24. Colorado Rockies | 23 | 65-85 | 6-4 | Colorado continues to score runs at a high rate (5.15 per contest). However, they are one of only seven teams in baseball allowing more than five runs per game. |
| 25. Seattle Mariners | 25 | 62-88 | 4-6 | Seattle has been a mess this season. Their season started full of promise, but as every other team in the league gained form, the Mariners lost theirs. Seattle has scored a rock solid 4.78 runs per contest, but like the Pirates above, they are one of the seven teams allowing more than five runs per game. |
| 26. Toronto Blue Jays | 26 | 59-91 | 4-6 | The Toronto Blue Jays punted the 2019 season and it shows. Marred by questionable personnel decisions, Toronto wasted the rookie seasons of two of the best young hitters in baseball. Under the current upper-management regime the Jays will not even think about competing until the 2021 season. |
| 27. Miami Marlins | 27 | 52-97 | 2-8 | Though they are one of the worst teams in baseball, Miami’s future is looking bright. They have amassed quite the collection of young talent and should be ready to compete by 2021. There may be postseason play in the Marlins’ not-so-distant future. |
| 28. Kansas City Royals | 28 | 55-95 | 4-6 | One of the worst teams in baseball, the Royals have scored the third fewest runs per game. They are one of only seven teams allowing five or more runs per contest. |
| 29. Baltimore Orioles | 29 | 49-100 | 3-7 | The Orioles have scored more runs per game than a team that was recently in the National League Wild Card hunt, the San Francisco Giants. However, they have allowed a league-high 5.62 runs per contest. |
| 30. Detroit Tigers | 30 | 44-104 | 4-6 | There is nothing good to say about the Detroit Tigers outside of pitcher Matt Boyd. The worst team in baseball needs a serious infusion of talent. |
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Raju Byfield is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Raju, check out his archive, and follow him @FantasyContext.